Home foreclosures fell during the fourth quarter.

The National Assn. of Mortgage Bankers said foreclosures were started on 0.21% of all mortgages in the final three months of the year, down from 0.24% during the July-September quarter. However, the percentage of borrowers behind 30 days or more on their payments--meaning they had missed at least two payments--rose to 5.72% in the fourth quarter, up from 5.64% in the third quarter. The increase came mainly from a jump in delinquency rates in the South.